Years back I used to shoot handguns in competitive events.  However the President of the international sponsoring organization  refused to call it "competition".  He elected to call it The Silhouette Game

The first international slinging festival and GAMES closed yesterday with our World Record Distance holder (Larry Bray) going down in screaming defeat in the Balearic competition to his wife who appeared to be having as much, if not more, fun at the "GAMES" than anyone.   We ran out of time for all the planned events (siege casting, hang time and rapid fire were left uncompleted) but the Balearics were a hit (no pun intended) along with the Ply Penetrations and Jug Busting.  Maximum Distance event seemed to suffer from the exertions of the day before at the golf course.  Barbeques were superior thanks to Curious Aardvark's culinary skills.  Friday night the dining canopy went airborne by the Wyoming wind with the six participants hanging onto it with all their might...   :o    We did get it taken down before it got destroyed...  :)    I also didn't have time to make up the water balloon slings so we'll have to post those results later.

Looking back over the last three days. I needed to be farther along with preparations but the FUN FACTOR of participants doing the events was extremely high.

Larry is thinking of hosting an event in 2008 in Utah... more on that later... maybe we could get the Arizona slingers up to that.

The significant thing is there are target stands, targets, backstop materials, protective barriers (with stancions), etc. that can be packed up and transported to wherever the next one is... within reason... lota steel in all this and I'm not sure leaving the continent would be wise due to tansport cost.

While we exposed oursleves to the world by shooting at fixed, structured and range graduated(including the golf) targets, again the empahsis was and always should be on the FUN of doing it and not just how well people scored.

We had NO participation by local youth... hunting seasons, football, tennis and other events out prioritized us it seems.  C_A and I think working the golfing community into sling golf and maturing the development of the water balloon sling for potential young slingers can lead to regular participation in future slinging events by the locals.  We are very lucky/blessed to have such a supportive and open minded local golf club and its members.  There was a lot of very positive feedback during that activity.

Congratulations! It must have been really good. Will you post pictures?

funda iucunda

I want to post a public "Thank You" to GOW and his beautiful wife for planning, preparing, and facilitating an absolutely first class event in the 2007 Wyoming Slingfest.  His commitment to the sport is inspiring.  My family and I personally benefited from his generosity and are thankful for his friendship.  

The Sling Golf was probably the highlight for me.  It was fun trying to throw for distance while trying to stay on the fairway.  I felt like a winner because I found more balls than I lost!  The score was nothing to brag about but a few of us made par on two or three holes.  This would not have been possible were it not for C_A's seat-of-the-pants development of a sling "putter" with accompanying technique that made the "short game" possible.  

I don't recall the Balearic defeat Guns mentioned.  Perhaps some subconcious ego self-preservation mechanism has already blacked that out of my memory banks.  Just wait 'til next time!

Aardvarks hard work in assisting with the whole project was monumental.  He was the right hand man for Guns through it all.  His skills with a charcoal BBQ were nothing short of amazing.  I advise any of you to invite him over next time you are cooking outside on a grill.  He is probably just as good with an indoor stove, I just didn't have the opportunity to experience his work in that arena.

NeoGeo was right in the middle of everything and his presence and great attitude rubbed off on all of us.  He was a real "Gamer" and was willing to go outside his comfort zone and try whatever.  I'm sure I learned at least as much from him as he did from me.  

To those who couldn't be there...  We had you in mind and knew you would have made the trip if you could.  On the Forum it is easy to forget the vast distances that seperate us here in the USA, let alone trying to span continents.  I live right next door in Utah, adjoing Wyoming, and it was still a 680 mile drive each way.  1360 miles round trip!  It took C_A 20+ hours to get to Montana by jet!  My hat is off to him.  I might talk about my dedication to the sport but his actions speak volumes.  The timing and location of this event worked out for me this time.  I know I won't always be so lucky.

I'll end by again saying "Thanks" to Guns, C_A, and Neo.  I learned alot and we all had a great time.  

sounds like it was a real blast...i really wish i could have gone...but being a student in highshcool and living half way across the US it wasn't really feasible...

well i hope in future years (highschool coming to an end soon...) that i will be able to make it...

so i assume there was alot of good video shot for the DVD?

Wish I were there. :'(

Well saturday night I was probably as tired (and not a little sunstruck - I'm sort of beetroot coloured at the moment - what jamaicans call a 'lobster' lol) as I've ever been in my life. It's been a long, tiring and exceptionally rewarding week or so. So I've now slept for about 14 hours and done absolutely bugger all today and I actually feel human again. Would I do it again ?
Hell yes, in a heartbeat :-)

But yeah, I'm with larry, sling golf is a definite hit - and he's too modest to mention it but the two powell golf club committee members who watched him throw a golf ball clear past the 250 yard marker and over the fence at the end of their driving range (apparently it was still rising at the time, I alas was at the wrong angle to see the ball trying to video it at the time) will probably never forget or quite believe what they saw.

I can now say I'm one of the very few people on the planet who have stood their ground while larry bray threw rocks at them (I believe his brother is one of the others lol), the last one only missed by about 5 feet - did I flinch, nope, I was having too much fun.

He also forget to mention that I blew the competition away at the balearic target range (only one using fig 8 lol) - so I can now claim bragging rights to winning the only freestyle balearic specification target shoot in history :-) (I'm actually too modest to mention that I scored over twice what the runner up scored)
And also being the runner up in the worlds first game of sling golf - and the scenery at the powell golf course has to be seen to be believed. Just amazing. And all kudos to them for letting us play on their golf course.

But gunsonwheels and family have just been the most hospitable and accomodating people I've ever met as well as some of the nicest.
He even bought me a nice shiny new barbecue to break in :-)
(there will be a curious aardvark guide to barbecue and marinading appearing as a pdf sometime in the near future)

However there are definitely at leats 2 ways to do any job - my quick dirty way and the proper measured, will last for ever, gunsonwheels way :-)
(we now know why boeing jets don't fall out of the sky)

So while we may have been a tad late on the construction of some of the kit - it will last for many years to come.    

And yes I have videoed as much of both the building of slingfest ('and today I'm cutting threads for the poles for the sling golf hoops' etc) and the competition as possible. Umm, so I'm not actually in any of it. Apart from the odd: - ' and heres the 1 inch ball bearing I've just embeded in this half inch plywood sheet'.
(larry's mum:- anything you took can you send me copies of please, ta)

So that's all going to be sorted and edited and going on the dvd which now has a release date of 'definitely before christmas' :-). There'sd also lots of tidying up to do.

If you want to know how far I've got on the dvd - pm neogeo as he now possesses the only extant prototype that I rushed through to bring over here.  

As far as slinging goes we accomplished a number of world firsts, did a lot of the stuff we've all been talking about for so many years and had so much fun it should be illegal :-)

So if you couldn't be bothered to come or genuinely couldn't afford/make it, you'll know what you missed - but you probably won't realise just how much fun we were having at the time :-)
And next year - well maybe you'll try that bit harder to make the effort to attend, who knows eh ?

Congrats and best wishes to all the participants!!!  Well Done.

Event Headquarters

http://www.rootcellar.us/images/pavilion04x.jpg

http://www.rootcellar.us/images/pavilion09x.jpg                  

http://www.rootcellar.us/images/pavilion14x.jpg

Thank you for the pictures! So Aardvark brought some flags as well? ;-)

Wow, sounds like you guys had a real blast. I definately would have gone, were it not for the fact that I'm in high school and it was 2000 miles away. If a slingfest ever gets done in California, though, there'd be at least one local youth heading that way 8-)
I'm glad you guys had a blast.

I have posted some more pictures on a website:
http://www.rootcellar.us/slingfest/

It takes quite a long time to load, so don't give up too soon.
     

Kudos to larrysmom for the pictures!

What you see in the pictures would probably be cut in half without C_A's tireless efforts almost from the time he stepped off the airplane.  I think he kinda stepped into the buzzsaw as the saying goes...  He was running errands both on-road and off-road, meal planning, shopping, cooking and in his spare time running various saws, pipe dies and other assorted tools and equipment...  I'm not sure it would have happened without his help...   But a hardy thanks to C_A, a dedicated slinger and supporter of our sport!!!   ...who was also the bearer of the Union Jack and English Flag (aka The Cross of St. George)

And to neogeo a hardy thaks for all your help as well..  just think if you had come earlier... :)  

Larry and family made most of the actual games really come to life... I told C_A watching Larry's throw of that golfball made the whole weekend for me.

Okay here's the proposal...  Slinging Games 2008...  I will load up the kit onto a flatbed trailer and pull to anywhere in continental North America a few days early to help set it all up in 2008.  We just need someone to either have or to reserve some real estate to set up on...  and maybe we can get the Powell Golf Club to write a letter to your local golf couse recommending letting the slingers do a round of Sling Golf.  So if you couldn't come in 2007...  can you host in 2008?????

If anyone on any of the other continents is interested I will send drawings, specs etc, of what our NA kit now contains so you may get one set up for your continent... also a list of vendors who provided pennants, embroidery, screen printing, etc. to make it up.

Congratulations on a job well done!  It looks like it was a blast!  I've been envying the participants, and cursing the fates that saddled me with project deadlines that week.  If you can do it again in 2008, I'll move heaven and earth to be there, and I'm sure many others feel the same way.

Quote:

But yeah, I'm with larry, sling golf is a definite hit - and he's too modest to mention it but the two powell golf club committee members who watched him throw a golf ball clear past the 250 yard marker and over the fence at the end of their driving range (apparently it was still rising at the time, I alas was at the wrong angle to see the ball trying to video it at the time) will probably never forget or quite believe what they saw.

Still working on doing lunch with the reporter and president of the golf club...  his two staff members told him that Larry's ball WAS still rising as it crossed the end fence.  The reporter put in print that Tiger Woods drives don't have anything over Larry Brays "drive" shot.

Turns out the local club is losing regular golf members and very much interested in working together with us to train sling golfers, hold competitions between sling golfers and club golfers and possibly even install our target sockets in their driving range for future all-out slinging competitions... using golf balls.  They have a lot of good ideas for games that could be staged between club and sling golfers.  They also are very interested in holding Fathers and Sons events there also.

Well alright - and if you use cheap spoon shaped landing nets and telescoping aluminium poles - the kit becomes cheap and easy to get and carry. Having something people can buy in ashop - means they can practice at home.

Wow I didn't realise they were that keen - that's brilliant - that's really made my day !
So how do i patent the sling golf 'putter' ? ;-)  

You do of course realise that I'm going to have to come back for any major slinggolf events :-)

Sounds like a great time was had by all.  It's a shame I'm 15-hundred miles away.  Ah, well....

Great pix, too.

Trebuchet

yeah, its a shame I'm broke. yep, ah well....... :-[


Well done slingers........well done. :)

Gunsonwheels wrote on Sep 24^th, 2007 at 11:22pm:

Kudos to larrysmom for the pictures! What you see in the pictures would probably be cut in half without C_A's tireless efforts almost from the time he stepped off the airplane.  I think he kinda stepped into the buzzsaw as the saying goes...  He was running errands both on-road and off-road, meal planning, shopping, cooking and in his spare time running various saws, pipe dies and other assorted tools and equipment...  I'm not sure it would have happened without his help...   But a hardy thanks to C_A, a dedicated slinger and supporter of our sport!!!   ...who was also the bearer of the Union Jack and English Flag (aka The Cross of St. George) And to neogeo a hardy thaks for all your help as well..  just think if you had come earlier... :)   Larry and family made most of the actual games really come to life... I told C_A watching Larry's throw of that golfball made the whole weekend for me. Okay here's the proposal...  Slinging Games 2008...  I will load up the kit onto a flatbed trailer and pull to anywhere in continental North America a few days early to help set it all up in 2008.  We just need someone to either have or to reserve some real estate to set up on...  and maybe we can get the Powell Golf Club to write a letter to your local golf couse recommending letting the slingers do a round of Sling Golf.  So if you couldn't come in 2007...  can you host in 2008????? If anyone on any of the other continents is interested I will send drawings, specs etc, of what our NA kit now contains so you may get one set up for your continent... also a list of vendors who provided pennants, embroidery, screen printing, etc. to make it up.

That depends entirely on two things: finances and the mood my boss is in.  Currently the only time I get off work is when I'm in hospital.

Trebuchet

Thanks to you all for such a great job. Well done!!!!! Wish I could have been there. :'(

Well it took a couple weeks to recover but if Larry or no one else commits to this we'll do it again here... either at our place or at the Powell Golf Club.  Probably happen earlier in the summer however.

Heck the next one's almost free (work and $) except for the T-shirts...   :)

I'll PM you who expressed an interest in a shirt for adresses, etc.   Already sent C_A his hat and a hat and shirt to Aussie.  If you're interested in one send me a PM we'll figure out how to get one out to you... colors are blue, yellow, natural and a lot of green ones.

good job george
Sorry I missed it. I had plans to make it. As they say best laid plans of mice and men. hmm utah even closer.
lol